To plan a backcountry skiing trip, you first need to select a location. There are many good resources including friends, family, guidebooks, maps, US Forest Service ranger stations, local outfitters and other sources of information such as regional tourism councils.
Once you have selected a location, you will need to gather weather and avalanche forecasts and topographic maps of the area. It’s always a good idea to contact a local ranger station for the most specific information for that area, such as recent snow slides, avalanche conditions and road closures. In addition to the ranger stations, many mountainous regions have avalanche forecasts available via phone and Internet.
Once you have committed to a location, you need to visualize the trip by drawing your path on the map, paying close attention to the terrain and any hazards that you will have to negotiate along the route, such as cliffs, rocks and steep slopes. Make sure to mark these potential hazards on your map so they are easy to identify once you begin your trip.
The most important hazard to be aware of are avalanches. Not only should you get the avalanche forecast, you should also be able to read snow conditions on the mountain. Avalanche training courses are made available by many private and public organizations.
Key questions include:
•How deep is the snowpack?
•How much snow has fallen recently?
•How stable is the snowpack?
•Have temperatures warmed up recently?
•Are the slopes wide and open?
•What direction is the wind blowing in this area?
•What is the orientation of the sun?
It is also important to have a disaster plan ready, incase the unexpected happens. If the conditions worsen, what will you do? Do you have enough food, water and clothing to sustain you overnight? Do you have any means of communication to contact someone if you break your leg? These are things that need to be figured out before you begin your trip.
Before you begin your trip, you need to make sure you have the essential gear. The gear will depend on the type of trip you are taking, but the following are essential for any backcountry skiing trip.
•Avalanche Beacon: This device must be used by everyone in your ski group. When buried, the beacon will send a radio signal that is picked up by the searching beacons, leading them to the victim.
•Shovel: Used to test the snow conditions and for digging out victims.
•Probe: Similar to a tent pole, this device is made specifically for probing during the search with the avalanche beacon.
Once you have begun your trip, pay close attention to the conditions on the ascent. Try to visualize your run, and think about what you would do if the snow started to slide. Test the snow conditions as you continue to climb to the top.
On the decent, always make sure you ski with at least one other person, and that you keep in close contact the entire time. Never stop in the middle of the slope, but rather pick a spot that is a safe harbor before you begin your run.
Always remember this rule: When in doubt, don’t go out.
