Backcountry skiing: what do i need?

nipe

nipe

Active member
Ok, so I will admit, im a complete noobie when it comes to backcountry skiing/avalanche awareness. Skiing in the mid atlantic before coming out to tahoe doesn't exactly prepare you and tell you what you need to know.

So..

I need some help with this, and start at the beginning. What equipment should I buy? Is anything required before you just go out skiing in the bc? What are some general rules/guidlines that should be followed? What are some good resources to self educate myself and learn more?

Any help would be appreciated. thanks.
 
I recommend at least getting your Avy1, or go with people who have been doing this for a long time and arn't idiots.

Beacon, shovel, probe, cellphone those are the most obvious. Knowing basic first aid doesn't hurt. Read up about snowscience if you arn't going to take a class (which you should) Practice with your beacon (they suck) a lot of places have free clinics for that kind of shit. BC isn't something you should just jump into, take the time and do it right, or else....

By not knowing the "laws of the land" so to speak you are not only endangering your life and your friends lives but also other people skiing in the backcountry, learn how to assess terrain and snow stability, read the report, and have fun.
 
As was said above.....

what you need more than anything is knowledge.

BC travel is about avoidance, not rescue as people often seem to assume. Learn how to travel safely using good route finding and how to interpret avalanche danger in the snowpack, weather, and terrain. Best way is take classes, and more classes, and practice and so on. This includes everything, from beacons to snow pits to reading the telemetry of the area you'll be travelling in weeks before your there.

Regarding what you need before you venture in the BC, beside knowledge and a partner.....

This is what I usual have with me in the BC (this list is copied from TGR...so I didn't retype it just for this):

DaKine Poacher Pack

Mammut Barryvox Beacon

G3 300cm Probe

BD Tele Lynx Shovel

Med Kit

Life Link Snow Saw

Small Maglite

Duct Tape - some on maglite and some on ski pole

Topo Map of area

Lighter, Matches, and Fire starter goo

2 Glow sticks

Cell Phone (off - it messses with your beacon)

Compass

slopemeter (2X - one on me, one in kit)

Life-Link Avie Kit - 2 thermometers, slopemeter, pit card, snow card, popsicle sticks

Space Blanket

Extra Contacts + solution

Extra layers - usually compressed down jacket

Extra Batteries - just in case + for maglite

Extra Flexon Boot Buckles - Love the boots, hate the buckles, and sometime they need to be replaces while skiing

Sunscreen + sunglasses

Carmex

Bandana

2 extra power bars, 2 extra cliff goo crap

Normal Food and Water

Hand Warmers

DaKine Leatherman tool

Toe Nail Clippers - ingrown toenails suck

head lamp

cornice/Rutschblock rope

As far as beacons go there are a lot of options now - I've used the M2, F1, old yellow pieps, tracker, and now Barryvox.

IMO, the barryvox is the best - plug for them....If you want I will go into more detail about it.

Obviously....that is a pretty big list.

The essentials are:

Beacon

Probe

Shovel

Food/Water

Cell Phone (off)

Partner

Knowledge of area - terrain, past, present, and future weather info, and snow pack

Extra Clothes/ Emergency Gear (for me...this depends more on the tour than anything. I usually have something though)

Rescue/First Aid - know at least basic first aid/CPR and be good with your beacon

For someone just getting into it:

-Take a class, seminars, weather classes, anything you can go to will help

-Get gear and practice....practice...practice. Beacons are pretty easy today, but multiple burials can be tricky and you want to know, for sure, that in case you need to use your beacon you will be able to.

-Find someone you trust as a partner, someone you trust with you life. You dont want to just go into the BC with people you can't count on.

Then....

Start travelling in the BC. Be careful...very careful at first. Use every outing as a learning expirence. Analysis everything you are doing and learn what is good and bad.

As I said, be careful. Avie experts say the most at risk BC users are those who have just taken Avie classes, who think they have the knowledge to be back there and get careless.

When you are using the BC, avoidance is the key. A beacon rescue is a last resort. Carrying a beacon, even digging someone out very quickly, doesn't mean they will live. 1/3 of people die in trama before the run out of air.

So....that was a lot of writing. Hope it didn't scare you off or anything.

The BC, IMO, is the best place to be skiing ever. Do it right and it will be incredibly rewarding. Hope everything goes well and you have a good time.

Back to organic chem.....
 
forgot to mention that...

Great Book. The standard in avie info.

Not a replacment for a class, though
 
Definitely do everything Ice-Is-Scary and Iggyskier have mentioned above, knowledge going into the backcountry is essential. But also remember that it isn't nearly as important as experience; the more time you spend in the backcountry, the better you'll be at assessing conditions/risk, picking lines, etc.
 
If you need to ask that question, DON'T GO! Mountains on the West have enough in bounds shredding that there's no need to cross a rope for a good time.
 
well, i do need to ask that question so I can educate myself, everyone had to at one point.
 
I think another point that may not have been raised is(didn't read all of iggyskier's advice):

NEVER ski a slope that has people in the avy path below you. I don't care if you set off an avalanche and kill yourself for being out there without the correct knowledge, BUT when you endanger innnocent people's lives that's just fuck up.

But seriously sign up for a level 1 avy course next year (most places don't offer them anymore this late in the season) That course will cover all the bases you need to know before heading out into the backcountry and should be taken before ever setting foot in the BC
 
When I go powder skiing, (once or no times a year) I just stay in the inbounds and out of bounds kind of safe but still in the powder. I really don't care if I die if I go farther each time, At least I will die skiing
 
i am gonna bookmark this thread so next time some random guy asks the same question...ill send him this link.
 
the most basic stuff you need is a probe, shovel, cell fone or walkie talkie, and some first aid shit wouldnt hurt, also get some backround knowledge of whre ur skiing, snow conditions, maybe go with ppl that have been doing it longer
 
Before you do anything get Avy 1 certafication. Avalanches are a very real danger and you should only go out with people that also have taken an avy class. You will also need a tranciver (and the knowledge to use it), a shovel and a probe, and at least one more person with the same stuff. You are also going to want some way to avoid post holing, snow shoes work, but they can be a pain. Treckers are a good attempt of an invention but they are a compleat waste of money, i have some and they have broke every time i use them. The best thing (especial if you plan to do alot) is the get a randona (I have no idea how to spell it) set up and some climbing skins which need to be cut to your skis. Randona set up will cost you though
 
I'd have to disagree. I've taken my trekkers on mountaineering trips and people were talking shit before I went at our gear check. I've never once had a problem with trekkers and I've used em 100 times. It's a tradeoff, they are heavy and not quite as good as an AT setup but when it comes time to ski I want to be on a real race binding not some dumb bullshit like a fritschi. If you ski aggressively you will break those after a few hucks (I've had many people's explode on them during a tour and they are stranded)

If I was making 8's (warren miller turns) in the backcountry I would definetly get a good AT setup because they are lightweight and work real well. but if you are more concerned with the line than the hike I recommend getting alpine trekkers and race bindings.
 
Trekkers get the job done if your willing to carry the extra weight.

I had breakage issues with mine after about 10 days, some people don't though. Just like with all gear...

If you do decide to go with AT bindings instead of trekkers I suggest the Naxo Nx21.

had Freerides before them...

I like the Nx21 much better so far. Stiffer when skiing, lock down so no instatele (which I did experience on the FR), smoother touring. Can comment on durability yet as I only have a few days on them now, but so far so good. They seem very sturdy so far.
 
You're an idiot.

As for you Nipe, listen to what iggyskier has to say- Both my junior high school and high school and local ski shop have lost people to avalanches (12 in total) and it is not something to be taken lightly. Once you do have the knowledge you need, you also need to be going backcountry with people that know the area and are very experienced, and you need to prove to them that you are capable at doing quick/efficient beacon searches. Also, when you buy a shovel- buy one with a METAL shovel blade because avy debris, once it settles, is pretty much like cement and a plastic shovel will seriously slow down a rescue effort. Same goes for a probe, don't get one of those little flimsy ones just because it is lighter- Black Diamond makes a great heavy duty probe that doesn't weigh too much.

Pretty much, to start off, you'll be spending around $100+ for a pack that's good for touring (Dakine, Osprey, arc'teryx, etc.) $300-$600 for a beacon, $60-$100 for a shovel, and $100ish for a probe. If you're concerned about how much it costs, think about how much your life, and your friends' lives are worth.
 
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